Ceramic Break Pads ??
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 7,001
Likes: 988
From: lake havasu city arizona
Don't pay any attention to the nay-sayer's about ceramic, mine work great, quiet and no dust!!
Good luck
NSF
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,407
Likes: 6,537
From: Melbourne, FL
Ceramic pads are very good abut dust. The dust is small and very hard to see. However, if you intended to buy a Corvette, and weren't suckered into one when you tried to buy a Buick or Caddy, you don't want ceramic pads. Bottom line is, they simply are NOT a high performance part. They are a performance degradation that is done solely to not have to clean your wheels as often.
There's lots of great pads for the Z06/GS brakes. EBC, StopTech, Hawk, CarboTech, probably 50 other companies all have great offerings for us. Do they dust? Sure. But it's a sports car, it's built to have good brakes and to have good brakes, you have to dust.
I don't get why people will buy the Z06/GS (a track/performance package) and then complain that the brakes they paid extra for dust too much. That's like dating a hottie and complaining she likes to run around in skimpy outfits around the house too much.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 8,514
Likes: 235
From: Currently somewhere in IL,IN,KY,TN,MO,AR,MS,AL, or FL
The reason there is dust is because the pads are wearing. Tearing the pads apart bit by bit is what causes the car to stop. ALL pads are going to wear and therefor produce dust. In general, the more energy you take out wearing the pads the faster you stop. Tearing tiny pieces off the pads also removes a lot of heat from the pad meaning less fade.Instead of going to ceramics, why not just put a few drops of oil on the pads? That will produce about the same result as going to ceramics at far less cost.
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 242
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
Bottom line is, they simply are NOT a high performance part. They are a performance degradation that is done solely to not have to clean your wheels as often
Track your Corvette, then don't use ceramic pads. That would be the 5% of the owners. The rest of us just want the same benefits the other 75% of the new vehicle owners are enjoying.
The future has been here since 2000.
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Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,407
Likes: 6,537
From: Melbourne, FL
Yep, the 2013 and 2014 base Corvette what a slug. It must be because it came OE with a ceramic pad. Ford Mustangs base, Shelby GT 500, GT models. Ceramic pads. But those are dog models. Dodge Charger and Challenger OE ceramic but again not a performance model. Every GM truck since 2000, OE ceramic but again they really don't need to stop well anyway.
Track your Corvette, then don't use ceramic pads. That would be the 5% of the owners. The rest of us just want the same benefits the other 75% of the new vehicle owners are enjoying.
The future has been here since 2000.
Track your Corvette, then don't use ceramic pads. That would be the 5% of the owners. The rest of us just want the same benefits the other 75% of the new vehicle owners are enjoying.
The future has been here since 2000.
If you just drive your Corvette to/from the golf course, ceramics are fine/ But if you do any sort of spirited driving, like a curvy mountain road, a canyon, etc. you don't want ceramics. I know I wouldn't want to run the Tail of the Dragon on ceramics.
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 242
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
[QUOTE]
There's a BIG difference between a ceramic composite brake setup, and ceramic pads. Yes, there are a lot of cars that are coming with ceramic pads from the factory, but they also all have the significant brake fade problems you get from them.
If you just drive your Corvette to/from the golf course, ceramics are fine/ But if you do any sort of spirited driving, like a curvy mountain road, a canyon, etc. you don't want ceramics. I know I wouldn't want to run the Tail of the Dragon on ceramics.
If you are suggesting that the models I mentioned have the carbon ceramic set up that would be incorrect. All of the models mentioned came factory with a ceramic disc pad.
I canyon run and autocross my 08 with ceramics and never have had one issue with fade.
Many of the car magazines test at the tail of the dragon with the factory ceramic pads and have not seen an issue. If fade was a big issue the OE would not be installed at the factory.
But everyone has their opinions.
There's a BIG difference between a ceramic composite brake setup, and ceramic pads. Yes, there are a lot of cars that are coming with ceramic pads from the factory, but they also all have the significant brake fade problems you get from them.
If you just drive your Corvette to/from the golf course, ceramics are fine/ But if you do any sort of spirited driving, like a curvy mountain road, a canyon, etc. you don't want ceramics. I know I wouldn't want to run the Tail of the Dragon on ceramics.
If you are suggesting that the models I mentioned have the carbon ceramic set up that would be incorrect. All of the models mentioned came factory with a ceramic disc pad.
I canyon run and autocross my 08 with ceramics and never have had one issue with fade.
Many of the car magazines test at the tail of the dragon with the factory ceramic pads and have not seen an issue. If fade was a big issue the OE would not be installed at the factory.
But everyone has their opinions.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,320
Likes: 145
From: Murfreesboro, TN
CI 2-4-5-6-7-8-10-11-12 Vet
NCM Ambassador
St. Jude Donor '08-'11-'13-'14-'15
When I first got my 2010 GS, I had terrible brake dust problems. The picture below is what my wheels looked like after a trip from Bowling Green, KY back to Chicago area (99% highway driving).
I did some research, and long story short, I bought the CarboTech pads from Adam (supporting vendor who has already chimed in on this thread). I found them to have a stronger brake bite than OEM, and liked the fact that I could get them in a single pad and not 6 little pad lets , which in my opinion is why I feel I'm getting more braking power because there is increased surface area of the pad on rotor. Just make sure you follow the directions on embedding the brakes properly.
Overnight, my brake dust problem went away. Hardly notice the dust unless I really let the car get dirty (which isn't often). I wouldn't hesitate to buy these pads, and Adam was great to deal with. Just my .02.
I did some research, and long story short, I bought the CarboTech pads from Adam (supporting vendor who has already chimed in on this thread). I found them to have a stronger brake bite than OEM, and liked the fact that I could get them in a single pad and not 6 little pad lets , which in my opinion is why I feel I'm getting more braking power because there is increased surface area of the pad on rotor. Just make sure you follow the directions on embedding the brakes properly.
Overnight, my brake dust problem went away. Hardly notice the dust unless I really let the car get dirty (which isn't often). I wouldn't hesitate to buy these pads, and Adam was great to deal with. Just my .02.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 11,973
Likes: 463
From: Tonawanda New York
Picking up my OE Wearever Gold (semi metallic) paddlets tomorrow from Advance for my GS. $110 fronts $73 rears. And a $20 off coupon!
Hey Tabasco, when I'm on road trips I wipe my car and wheels down at rest stops and gas stops. I would be too embarrassed to drive around with that much brake dust on my wheels. Just saying. Lol
Hey Tabasco, when I'm on road trips I wipe my car and wheels down at rest stops and gas stops. I would be too embarrassed to drive around with that much brake dust on my wheels. Just saying. Lol
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 50,281
Likes: 518
From: Cleveland OH
St. Jude Donor '11,'13
When I first got my 2010 GS, I had terrible brake dust problems. The picture below is what my wheels looked like after a trip from Bowling Green, KY back to Chicago area (99% highway driving).
I did some research, and long story short, I bought the CarboTech pads from Adam (supporting vendor who has already chimed in on this thread). I found them to have a stronger brake bite than OEM, and liked the fact that I could get them in a single pad and not 6 little pad lets , which in my opinion is why I feel I'm getting more braking power because there is increased surface area of the pad on rotor. Just make sure you follow the directions on embedding the brakes properly.
Overnight, my brake dust problem went away. Hardly notice the dust unless I really let the car get dirty (which isn't often). I wouldn't hesitate to buy these pads, and Adam was great to deal with. Just my .02.
I did some research, and long story short, I bought the CarboTech pads from Adam (supporting vendor who has already chimed in on this thread). I found them to have a stronger brake bite than OEM, and liked the fact that I could get them in a single pad and not 6 little pad lets , which in my opinion is why I feel I'm getting more braking power because there is increased surface area of the pad on rotor. Just make sure you follow the directions on embedding the brakes properly.
Overnight, my brake dust problem went away. Hardly notice the dust unless I really let the car get dirty (which isn't often). I wouldn't hesitate to buy these pads, and Adam was great to deal with. Just my .02.
I appreciate the kind words 
and yes the 1521 performs as advertised. Their is no other pad on the market that performs like the 1521 while maintaining a low dust profile 
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 50,281
Likes: 518
From: Cleveland OH
St. Jude Donor '11,'13
Carbotech™ Bobcat 1521™ The Carbotech Bobcat 1521™ is our high performance street compound that is our most successful compound. The Bobcat compound is known for its awesome release and modulation, along with unmatched rotor friendliness. Like our AX™ & XP™ line of compounds, Bobcat 1521™ is a Ceramic based friction material offering minimal rotor damage and non-corrosive dust. Bobcat 1521™ offers outstanding performance, even when cold, low dusting and low noise with an excellent initial bite. This compound’s virtually perfect linear torque production provides incredible braking force without ABS intervention. Bobcat 1521™ operating range starts out at ambient and goes up to 900°F. Bobcat 1521™ is suitable for ALL street cars, perfect for your tow vehicle, police cruiser. The Bobcat 1521™ compound has been found to last two-three times longer than OE pads you can purchase at a dealership or national retailer. That’s one of the beauties of Carbotech Ceramic brake compounds. Bobcat 1521™ is NOT recommended for any track use.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 104
From: Des Moines Iowa
Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 274
Likes: 2
From: Pampa Tx
My first trip out in our '427 yielded a horrible brake dust problem. The first day was an 800 mile leg, the paint was coated in a reddish pink dust. You couldn't open the door without getting it all over your hands. By the time we made it to Daytona, 1600 miles, I was sick at looking at the dust. We washed the car 4 times on the 4100 mile trip and still had to pull the wheels and wash the under-carriage when we got home. I went to O'Reillys the next day and bought a set of composite ceramics. The next trip out was 1000 miles. When we arrived home, there was no dust or squeal. This was a mountain run with 4 passes and 6 winding canyon runs. I have been very pleased for our use, mainly long distance touring.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 4,138
Likes: 171
From: Missouri
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
Never really minded the dust too much on my Corvette, and I knew I was in for a challenge with the Z51 package. I just learned to wipe the wheels down after every long-ish drive. On my Z28's I eventually made the switch to ceramic before I started modding. You'll lose a bit of stopping power and there will still be dust, just not as much and it's an ivory color, not to mention they seem to chew up rotors more quickly. To me the trade-off was not worth it. I went back to normal pads on all but my daily drivers.
Last edited by ProfessorDeath; Mar 7, 2015 at 01:24 AM.